SPACES REVISITED

The problem with an artist like Larry Coryell is the sheer size of his discography. Every album he puts out could be considered one of the staples of the jazz/rock culture, but he never makes a point to top any of his previous releases. Each new album could be the second half of the one before it, and this rubs off on the listener as a lack of variety.

Larry Coryell is, in my opinion at least, one of the finest jazz guitarists to ever come out of America and "Spaces Revisited" is no exception to that statement. The guitar work on it is fantastic, and we can see once again what a true virtuoso of the instrument Mr. Coryell really is. Not to mention the amazing guest line-up on the album which features the incomparable Billy Cobham on drums and Richard Bona on bass. Those two form an incredibly tight rhythm section which gives Coryell and endless possibility of soloing. And when I mention soloing, the first song that comes to my mind off of this album is the mind-blowing "Blues for Django and Stephane". I have never heard a jazz piece with so much intensity and just plain driven power coming off of it, and the whole song is relentless for its whole 5:24 duration. However, no matter how hard you keep your ears pressed to this album, the rest of the music will fail to impress and ultimately end up slipping into the background as "just another jazz piece". Like I mentioned before, there is no variety here, aside from the aforementioned "Blues for Django and Stephane".

This album is good for those of you who would like to hear the innovative side of American jazz guitar soloists, but I am afraid if you are in it for a riveting and extraordinarily new jazz experience, you have picked the wrong album. It's just too bland to catch and hold attention, therefore I give it 3 stars.

As always when an artiste openly revisits one of his early classic, there are a few precautions to be taken. Beit Olfield's 256 's Tubular Bells or JM Jarre's Oxygene reworks, you just know it is a financial coup that rarely goes fiasco (financially at least). So exactly what was In LC's mind when trying this stunt? No McL, Corea or Vitous, and with only an ageing Cobham in tow, this sounded like anteing up an entire empire on the poker table with only a pair of kings in hand. Even if McL is replaced by the promising new talent Birelli Lagrene (from South Africa), the line-up lacks the fire and power of the original quintet star-studded line- up.

So, 30 almost years after its original release, Spaces, "the return" sees the light of day, but it quickly strays from the original spirit of the album. Apart from the title track, there are no covers of the original 69 version, and even Spaces Revisited is not a true cover per se, but at least it has some musical links. If Dragon Gate, the charming Morning Of The Carnival, the title track and to a lesser extent the Pork Pie Hat variation are interesting, one can't say the same for HK Breeze, Oleo and the Ruby dual track.

Pretty well a straight jazz album, SR is probably suffering from its misleading title, and might even suffer the ire of those being mislead, but in fine, this album is good cool/lounge jazz album, but certainly nothing to bowl you over and pick up a pen and paper to write home about it.

The album title invokes great expectations and one wishes to be thrown into the world of 70's fusion. The lineup is stellar with Cobham on drums, Lagrene as excellent guitar player and Bona a skillful bass player. The album is indeed different from anything Coryell has done in the 90's until this year.

When you hear the first track with elastic bass and pretty good and tasty guitar(s) soloing, your expectations rise high. "Hong Kong Breeze" calms down into a smooth and comfortable fusion typical for many former fusion stars. It lacks the energy and complexity of the 70's music.

Next tracks are somewhat disappointing for me as they are much closer to jazz and contemporary jazz, than fusion. In other words, it's all about feeling and soloing rather than dynamics and more elaborate compositions. "Variations on Good-Bye Pork Pie hat" has at least changes in the rhythm. The last track "Ruby my dear" is a clean acoustic guitar atmospheric track.

Recommended to the fans of contemporary jazz but not to the fans of fusion.